Progress on track as Waipā cycleway section nears completion

Te Awa River Ride nears completion. Photos / Supplied

The Waipā section of the Te Awa River Ride cycleway is nearing completion as contractors reached the 75 per cent milestone this week.

Waipā District Council anticipates the four kilometre stretch north of Cambridge will be completed by the end of the year, with progress tracking well.

Over 2.8km of the path has already been completed, and will connect with the Cambridge to the Avantidrome section at its final stage.

Extensive planting has also taken place along the track, incorporating a number of native plant and bush varieties to add to the riverside experience.

That stretch will eventually connect with the cycleway south of Hamilton to form a cycle path spanning 70km along the banks of the Waikato River, from Ngāruawāhia to Lake Karāpiro.

The Lake Karāpiro section of the Te Awa River Ride has proven popular with locals, allowing cyclists to ride from Cambridge to the lake.

Te Awa River Ride nears completion.

Group manager Dawn Inglis said the completion of the track would create one route alongside the Waikato River for cyclists and pedestrians to travel along.

"The completion of the Te Awa River Ride will be an excellent way for people to explore more of Waipā and the wider Waikato region.

"Cyclists and pedestrians will be able to enjoy stunning views of the river from areas which haven't been open to the public before."

The Te Awa River Ride, a multi-spoke partnership between councils, charitable groups and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, has been a work in progress for some time with the final sections nearing completion.

Dawn said the River Ride will become an important cycling feature alongside the Avantidrome, further endorsing Cambridge's reputation as a key cycling hub in New Zealand.

Currently 300,000 people use the trail annually, with more than 2500 people using the Avantidrome section on a weekly basis. More information on the cycleway can be found at te-awa.org.nz/about.

The Te Awa River Ride – Hamilton to Cambridge project was made possible by two major funding contributions of $2.95 million from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and a $2.84m investment managed by the Provincial Development Unit, following the council's successful application to the Infrastructure Industry Reference Group for 'shovel ready' project funding during the Covid-19 level 4 lockdown in 2020.